Island



(No Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 1. F. GRINNELL.

AUTOMATIC PIRE BXTINGUISHBR.

No. 399,520. Patented Mar. 12, 1889.

n Illu .SIIII N. PETERS, Pnmamnugnpher, wnhinglun. D. C.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. F. GRINNELL. AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

No. 399,520. Patented Mar. 12, 1889.

N. PETERS, Photo-Lithogmphnr. Wningon. D, C.

Anwen/U UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

FREDERICK GRINNELL, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,520, dated March12, 1889.

Application filed February 3, 1888. Serial No. 262,958. (No niodeLl Toall whom it 71mg/ concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK GRINNELL, of the city and county ofProvidence, and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Automatic Fire- Extinguishers, of which the following isa specification.

)Iy present invention relates, primarily, to j l ing defiector 5attached to it. The delector means for protecting the more sensitiveparts of an automa-tic fire-extinguisher from corrosion or theaccumulation of dirt, dec.; and to this end the most essential featureof the invention consists of a protecting-cap fitted air-tight to theextinguisher and held from within by a device adapted to be operated byheat in such manner as to release or throw off the cap when a (ieitaintemperature is attained.

The protecting-cap maybe held onto the sprinkler or extinguisher by aheat-actuated device independent of that which holds the valve closingthe wateroutlet; or I may use the cap for holding the valve, or thevalve for holding the cap, in the former case the cap being held by thesaid device, and in the latter case the valve being so held.

In whatever form I apply my invention it is my intention 1o have theheat-actuated dcvice entirely within the space closed by the cap, so asto be protect ed thereby, and to accomplish this I prefer to add amechanical connection between the said device and the cap or sprinkler,so that the cap may be attached after the said lieataictuaied device hasbeen adj usted.

The heat-actuated device may be the wellknown soldered joint or anyother suitable heat-actuated device. The joint between the projectingcap and the sprinkler is made aiihtight, and may be sealed with wax oi'other non-corrodble packing; but this sealing plays no part in holdingthe cap in place7 the heatactuated device which is depended upon forthis purpose being placed, preferably, as far froiii the body of thesprinkler and the said joint as possible, so as to be less influenced bv the cooling action of the metal of the sprinkler and of the watercontained therein. The protectingcap may be made in whole or in part ofimn-f'orrmlil)le or heat-insulating material.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a sectional view of anextinguisher, showing the composite protecting-cap. Figs. 2, 3, EL, and5 are similar views of modifications hereinafter described.

Referring first to Fig. l, the base 1 of the extinguisher is of theusual pattern, having water-passage Q and liexiblc valve-seat 3. Thevalve 4 is also of the usual pattern, havis guided by screwstuds 6,which .support a cross-piece, 7, the studs and cross-piece forniin gwhat I call the yoke. A post, S, screws into the cross-piece, and theangle of the en d of the post is soldered at fl to a metallic cap, 10,fitted and sealed into a hole in the cap 1l. This cap 1l is of glass orother iioncorrodible substance, and it is preferably, also, of acharacter that will conductheat poorly. It is seated with anair-t1ghtvjoiiit to the periphery of the base of the extinguisher, andit is provided with a liange or lugs, 12, that project far enough inwardto bear upon the defiector, and thereby hold the valve closed. rlhemeeting edges of the base and cap inay be iared, as shown, and iii thecrevice thus formed twine, yarn, or the like, la, saturated withparafline or other non-corrodi blc and fusible substance, maybe wrappedto make the joint air-tight. 'lhe cap l0 maybe sealed into the glass cap by plastcr-of-parls, sealing-wax, or the like, and it maybe coatedwith or made of a non-corrmlible substance.

In Fig. QI have shown a modification of in v invention, `in which arigid valve-Seat is used together with an adjustable cap-seat. rlhelatter is formed by a ring, ll, screwed onto the periphery of the baseand capable of be ing turned thereon until it seats up against the cap.The defectoi is in this case shown secured to the cap by a screwtliread,and the studs G are shown adjustable from the ontside, so as to permitthe adjustment of the valve without distnrbingthe cap. The heatactuateddevice is here shown as consisting of a hook, 8, engaging under a dog,l5, on the voke and formed of two metals, which expand differently withheat, so that when subjected to an abnormal temperature the hook will bebent out and free from the dog l5, and 'tlius release the cap and valve.rlhe cap is supposed iii this case to be of nietal, and the hook isriveted or otherwise secured to the crown IOO of the cap,' as shown. Alug, 9, on crosspiece 7 serves to limit the motion of dog 15, so thatwhile the latter can swing freely upon the cross-piece for normalmovements of the hook 8, yet when the hook is bent beyond the ordinaryby an abnormal increase in temperature the dog will rest against the lug9 and allow the hook to be forced free of the dog. The ring 14 may bemade of vulcanized ber or other non-metallic substance, so as to, first,prevent sticking by corrosion, and, second, to preventl the liow of heatfrom the cap to the base. The deliector 5 may have between it and thecap a ring, 16, of a similar heat-in sulatin g m aterial.

In Fig. 3 l have shown a modification in which the valve or defiectorholds the cap, and in this case the cap may be oi glass with interiorlugs, 12, engaging under arms or anges extending out from the dellector5. The valve and detlector are in this case held by yoke 7, levers 8,and soldered joint 9, in the well-known way. The lugs 12 do not eX- tendall around the cap, but are sufficiently far apart to allow the arms 17to pass up between them, when a slight turn of the cap is all that isnecessary to lock it into place like a bayonet-joint The lugs 12 or thearms 17 should be inclined slightly, so as to wedge the cap down to itsseat as it is turned.

In Fig. 4C is shown a modification similar to that shown in Fig. 2, butdiffering in the fact that it shows a glass globe or cap instead of ametallic one. The lugs 12 are made wedgeshaped, and serve, by beingforced in under cross-piece 18, to hold the cap to its seat. The samelugs, by being wedged in over the deflector, will hold the valve toitsscat. The cross-piece 18 may be soldered to the yoke 7 by fusiblesolder.

ln 5 the cap is shown tlattened out into a disk, and is made one withthe deliector and valve. In this 'figure l have shown two soldered latchdevices, 8, engaging under the inclined lip 19 of the adjustable seat 14and soldered at 2O to the cap. There are two of these devices shown, oneon each side; but one could be dispensed with, for the reason that whenone of the devices S is sufficiently released the pressure yin the pipewill throw the valve from its seat. The valve-seat may i be of theflexible kind; or it maybe made adl justable by a screw-thread, asshown.

dirt, or mechanical injury in the most perfect manner, and at the sametime allowing the water when released by the valve to exert its pressureupon the extended surface of the cap, thereby insuring its prompt andcomplete removal.

Sprinklers have been heretofore constructed with protectingcaps; butthese caps, when made air-tight, were always sealed by a soldered jointexposed more or less to the corrosive laction of. the atmosphere. I donot intend that -my present claims shall cover such devices, as it is anessential feature of this invention that the soldered joint or othersensitive heat-actuated device be independent of the joint between thecap and its seat, the object being to completely protect such devicefrom corrosion.

I claiml. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination of thevvalve closing the waterpassage with a protecting-cap fitted with anair-tight joint to the extinguisher-base, and a heat-actuated deviceindependent of said joint located entirely within the cap and holdingsaid capto its seat until released by heat.

2. In an automatic lire-extinguisher, the combination of the valveclosing the waterpassage with a protecting-cap fitted with an air-tightjoint to the extinguisher-base, and a heat-actuated device independentof said joint located in the space between the valve and cap, andsecured to both valve and cap, so as to hold them to their respectiveseats until released by heat.

3. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination of the valveclosing the waterpassage with a protecting-cap covering the valve, andinclosing a heat-actuated device adapted to hold the cap to its seatuntil re leased by heat, the said cap made partly of heat-conductingmaterial and partly of heatinsulating material, and the said devicesecured to the heat-conducting part.

FREDERICK GRINNELL.

Vitnesses:

RICHARD XV. GRINNELL, XVILMARTH H. THURsToN.

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